[5] PREPARATION OF ROUGH SKELETONS LUCAS. 



In small quadrupeds it will be unnecessary to detach the legs, but, 

 whenever convenience in roughing out or packing renders this needful, 

 cut the collar bone loose from the breastbone and leave it fastened to 

 the shoulder blade. 



The legs being finished, disjoint and clean the skull. Be carefnl in 

 removing the eyes not to tbrusfc the point of the knife through the thin 

 portion of the skull back of them and in deer, antelopes, or other 

 ruminants, take care not to break through the thin bone back of the 

 upper teeth. Also be careful not to cut off any projections of bone. 



Remove as much of the brain as possible with a scraper, bent wire, 

 or small stick. 



In cleaning the ribs take care not to cut the cartilages joining them 

 to the breastbone, and, when the tail is reached, look for a few little 

 bones projecting downwards from the first few vertebrjie. 



Fold the legs snugly along the body, or, if they have been detached, 

 tie them together with the skull on the under side, as much as possible 

 within the chest cavity; also turn down the tail and tie it upon itself. 



Roll up in a bit of rag and fasten securely to one of the long bones 

 any bones which may have been detached or any splinters from a broken 

 bone. 



Hang the skeleton to dry in the shade,* where it will escape dogs, 

 cats, and rats. 



Lastly, in case a small skeleton is likely to be some time on the road, 

 give it a very thin coat of arsenical soap to preserve it from the attacks 

 of Dermestes and other insects. 



On short collecting trips the poisoning may be omitted and the speci- 

 mens treated when they reach their destination, but where small skele- 

 tons are to lie for some time uncared for, they should be poisoned, 

 otherwise they may arrive in a very much mixed and dilapidated con- 

 dition. 



The breastbones of large animals should also be well jioisoned. 



The best method of poisoning small specimens is to dissolve arsenic 

 in hot water, and when the solution is cold soak the skeletons in it for 

 an hour or so. All the small rough skeletons stored in museum collec- 

 tions, as well as those in the stock of dealers in natural history material, 

 are or should be thus treated. The addition of a little washing soda 

 will cause water to take up much more arsenic than it otherwise would. 



Should any of these small specimens be needed for disarticulated 

 skeletons the arsenic can be extracted by soaking in a hot solution of 

 washing soda. 



* In this as in many other particulars the collector will necessarily be governed by 

 circnmstances, for in moist climates, or on shipboard, it maj be needful to dry speci- 

 mens in the sun, or even by the aid of a fire. 



